The visit to the bank yesterday hadn’t been of any help. The new manager had been very sympathetic but there was little they could do for him, unless he could pay out the loan somehow. Dan would have to think of something else. Once again he was keeping secrets. He hated doing it and then of all the people to run into today, it had to be Katherine. He’d seen her as he was leaving the bank yesterday but he’d only offered a quick reply to her effusive hello. He shifted in his seat as he recalled her smug smile. She would have to say she’d seen him. Bloody annoying woman, he couldn’t understand how he’d ever been attracted to her.

She wasn’t the only annoyance. While he was in the bank he’d seen Louise. He hadn’t noticed her until she’d said hello. She was quite different in the bank, not effervescent but confident. They’d had a quick chat and she’d mentioned having lunch with Tom. Dan had bitten his tongue but he’d left plenty of work for Tom to do. He should barely have had time to stop for a bite to eat, let alone leave the property and drive into town.

Dan sighed. Tom was totally besotted with Louise. Dan had caught his young working man daydreaming several times and his damn phone was always binging with text messages. It was all very well for Tom to be in love but it was affecting his work. He’d already had some minor mishaps, making him a liability. Dan hadn’t said anything yet but the time had come for him to have a serious talk with Tom about commitment.

* * *

The rumble of the tyres on the dirt road woke Paula. She looked across at Dan. The joy that had been on his face after the ultrasound was gone. He frowned at the road ahead. Suddenly, the conversation between the two women at the doctor’s surgery sprang into her head. The one called Sally had been worried about her husband’s state of mind. Did Paula know her own husband that well?

“What are you thinking about?” she said.

He glanced quickly across at her and pulled his face into a smile. “Farm stuff. Nothing very exciting.”

Paula reached over and ran a finger across his forehead. “You must share things with me, Dan. You don’t have to carry the burden all on your own.”

“I know. It’s the usual seasonal stuff. Sorry, I do a lot of planning and thinking but it always comes down to what the season dishes out. You did agree to have me for better or worse.”